The two governments have worked well together since Labour returned to Downing Street

Frosty relations between Scotland’s two governments have thawed since Keir Starmer entered Downing Street in July - but temperatures could rise again in 2025 amid policy clashes as the SNP and Labour lock horns ahead of a crunch Holyrood election.

The previous UK government including former Tory Scottish secretary Alister Jack, had no trouble in asserting Westminster’s authority over Holyrood. It got nasty.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer talks with First Minister John Swinney during the first Council of Nations and Regions, at Queen Elizabeth House in Edinburgh. Picture: Andy Buchanan-WPA Pool/Getty Images

John Swinney has spoken previously about how dealing with David Cameron and most of Theresa May’s time in office had been on relatively good terms.

But things took a turn as Ms May wrestled with Brexit and what followed under Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, in terms of dealing with the Scottish Government, has been branded a horror show by SNP ministers.

Labour appear to have turned a corner and the new administration under Sir Keir and Scottish Secretary Ian Murray, are taking relations with the devolved government more seriously - with what they are calling a “reset” to the way of working.

Two days after securing his thumping general election victory, Sir Keir arrived in Edinburgh for talks with the First Minister - top of the agenda was a seemingly now-failed bid to halt the closure of the Grangemouth oil refinery.

Keir Starmer met John Swinney at Bute House after winning the general election | PA

By fast-tracking its consideration of Holyrood climate change legislation, the UK government helped to accelerate the bill's passage to Royal assent, following a request from the Scottish Government - with SNP ministers at risk of breaching their November deadline to publish a new climate change plan.

In Mr Swinney’s first programme for government, the omission of a full conversion therapy ban was put down to efforts to work in conjunction with the UK government.

Even if ministers do not align their thoughts completely with their counterparts, there is a clear thought process that talks can at least be constructive. That is a new way of working for Scotland’s two governments.

A Scottish Government source told The Scotsman that the difference in approach from the Conservative administration at Westminster “could not be more stark”.

They said: “Going into meetings with the Tories sometimes felt like preparing for war. You go into the room and you know whatever you need to say is going to get ignored. It could be pretty hostile.

“It was almost impossible to feel like any progress could be made with them.”

They added: “The change with the new government has been night and day.

“We haven’t agreed with everything Labour has set about doing - it’s been quite obvious what those areas are. But we are going into those discussions with more hope and being able to play an active part.”

In 2025, a raft of new legislation will come into force and delivered by co-operative working between the Scottish and UK governments.

Scottish renters will see new protections in 2025 once the UK Government legislates to ban landlords from discriminating against tenants with families or in receipt of welfare benefits.

New regulations on vapes and on tobacco are set to be delivered UK-wide following agreement between the two governments. ScotRail will remain in public hands with an act of parliament delivered by the UK government providing strengthened legal underpinnings to Scottish ministers’ powers.

Secretary of State for Scotland, Ian Murray MP

The Scottish Secretary said: “Resetting the relationship between Scotland’s two governments has been a priority for this government since coming to office.

“From private renting to public health we have worked in partnership to deliver for Scots.”

Mr Murray added: "No one expects us to agree on everything, of course we won’t – but the vast majority of Scots want to see their governments work together to produce better results – that’s what we’re getting on with doing.

“It’s by working in partnership that we will deliver our plan for change with investment and reform to deliver growth and put more money in people’s pockets.”

But SNP ministers have privately raised concerns over plans by the UK government to fast track a review of the controversial internal market act, which was used by the former Tory Scottish secretary, Mr Jack, to block the deposit return scheme being brought forward.

Labour trade minister Douglas Alexander has pledged to complete the review by the summer of 2025, with the East Lothian MP acknowledging the Scottish Government has been left feeling “frustration” over “the lack of clarity in terms of how it operates”.

But a Scottish Government source said there were fears UK ministers were “content to endorse legislation passed by the Tories”, adding that was “despite that legislation being imposed without the consent of any devolved legislature, and the constraints it places on the powers of Holyrood”.

Further tensions could be raised between the two governments over the Scottish Government’s pledge to mitigate the two-child cap from 2026 after what SNP ministers feel has been a lack of action from Labour. That will require data to be shared from the UK Department for Work and Pensions.

The SNP and Labour will continue to clash ahead of the 2026 election and that could put pressure on intergovernmental relations as both parties attempt to carve out policies and create some distance with their opponents.

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar told The Scotsman that he has been clear with his colleagues at Westminster that “we have to have good relations between the UK and Scottish Government".

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar

He added: “Ultimately, we have a shared interest in delivering for the people of Scotland.

“I’ve always been very clear with my colleagues in the UK Labour government that they should proactively engage with their Scottish Government counterparts and they should work constructively, where they agree, to deliver for the people of Scotland.

“That’s a two-way street through and from my understanding, the conversations have been very positive.”

SNP Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said: “As the First Minister has made clear, relationships with the UK government have improved since this year’s general election.

“The Scottish Government remains committed to constructive engagement in order to secure the best outcomes for the people we represent.”

How Scotland's two governments' new-found co-operation could be poised to turn sour

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